So "old man shows" don't have to suck after all.

A few weeks back I sunk into a bit of the old self-pitying agism after I failed to rouse myself to see Akron/Family play at the Crocodile. I'd been wanting to see them for at least a year (their reputation for live shows outweighing my my iffiness regarding the last two albums), but it was a rainy and cold, dark as night Friday night out there and no one was going with me. So I chose bed instead. Like an oldster. Like a lame-o. I figured my concert going days were caput, that I was, as Slick's friend once said, "retired" from the "live rock." But was I really? It was too depressing. Denial kicked in. I kicked in. I kicked myself up and over to the computer and started to make myself pick some "old man" shows. Some "Country Buffet" shows. Shows that you can really take your teeth out too. How about some acoustic Yo La Tengo? It's at Town Hall so it's sit down. And you get out early! And it's acoustic, so...no gross earplugs. How about acoustic Robyn Hitchcock? It's at the Triple Door so you get to eat pan Asian food! And it's early so you can to bed before 11:00. And it's acoustic so...no bending over, trying to rescue your gross earplugs before some dude in Docs stomps on them. It is true that Sean Nelson is opening, but that's okay--you can still pretend to be a young rocker as long it's before 9:00. No rock shows playing? How does a play sound? There's one about Philip K. Dick that will get you home early enough you can wake up at 5 without whining about it. I hear it's acoustic! And it's about Philip K. Dick and he's cool, right? You're still cool, yeah.
Right?

Yes. And just to be sure: Battles. Neumos. Saturday night. I've got my earplugs packed and the alarm clock off and my ticket already purchased so I can't back out.

Wish me luck.

Last weekend.

Gotta try, right?

Right?

You're trying, right?

(photo by Batt)

Robert Wyatt

"I'm not a great believer in individualism. I think things are around to be done and if one person doesn't do it another will."

Chedder

I've never been shy--or interesting--about my negative feelings about Eddie and the Jam, but I have to say, his songs for "Into the Wild" are great. Maybe I'll buy the soundtrack. Maybe this will mark my entrance into Jammie-dom, just as "Dog Day Afternoon" and "Almost Famous" marked my very slow--yet complete!--transformation into an Eltonphile.

But I doubt it.